Diadem
by Oh Sweet Solace
Summary: A mysterious guest presents newlywed Jasmine with a beautiful diadem, unleashing a deadly spell. The gang goes to a magical kingdom to break the spell, but the kingdom itself is in danger, and Jasmine isn't herself anymore... Literally.
1. Diadem

Prologue

Aladdin and Jasmine had been enjoying being pampered by nobles all around the world, for they had been married for a month now. And the gifts never stopped coming. Abu, going in to "check on" the gifts, may have been the one really enjoying them. He would swim in the piles of gold and silver and amulets and jewelry every time he got bored. It was almost as if he was replacing Iago's position.

When things seemed to have been settling down a bit, the happy couple was a bit surprised by a mere beggar knocking on the door of the palace offering his gift. This, my friends, is where our story begins.

Like many stories I am nearly positive you have read, someone lacking nobility and social status gives a gift to someone noble. Often times, it is a test to see if the noble would heed a mere peasant. And if not, a consequence would befall them.

But, as we all know, our Aladdin and Jasmine are not too dignified to be hospitable to less fortunate people. Hence, they invited the beggar in.

Aladdin noted that he was an old man for sure. He never revealed his face, making some of the royal guests suspicious. He had a husky whisper for a voice, and a tattered brown robe with a hood and rope tied around his waste like a friar. But as far as Aladdin and Jasmine were concerned, he was a considerate man who was doing a great deed to be giving a sultan and his queen a gift.

The beggar refused the feast and simply offered his gift to the newlyweds. It was a plain diadem made of rich gold with a single ruby crested in the center. He bowed down before Jasmine humbly, "Accept this gift from me please, and it will be yours."

Jasmine did not want to accept this offer, for the diadem was most likely earned from the only money he could muster. But he was persistent (as was Abu), so Jasmine accepted the diadem and thanked the beggar greatly.

The beggar seemed to have turned around and disappeared...

(Read and Review please!)


	2. Queen Damali

Part One

The festivities were all over, and Aladdin and Jasmine were slipping into bed.

"Did that beggar kinda' give you the creeps?" Aladdin asked.

Jasmine shrugged, "Either way, it was kind of him to give me a gift like this." She examined the diadem. "It is nice, don't you think?"

Aladdin nodded sleepily, "You should wear it tomorrow."

Jasmine nodded, "Okay. What do you think about the other gifts?"

Aladdin didn't answer. Jasmine giggled at her sleeping husband; it had been a long day for the both of them.

"Good night," Jasmine blew out the candle and fell asleep.

Meanwhile, a small little creature scurried up to his master. It was plump, short and stubby with a nose like an imp and ears like a bear. Its fur was a thin, short, and well-groomed golden color. It was dressed in a white gown an untied gold and crimson robe over it. He bowed with what is almost a squeak, "You called?"

The lady sat down after pacing back and forth for the last half-hour, "Yes, Pichi. Where is the Crown?"

"Crown?" it slunk nervously.

"The sacred crown! You know what I'm talking about! It is missing!"

"No, I haven't see it, Ma'am — uh — your highness."

"Bring me the gatekeeper's scroll!"

"Right away, your highness!" It — he — Pichi — got to his two feet and scurried off, its too-small-to-work wings flapping behind him.

His master waited anxiously on the throne. Damali was her name — Queen Damali. She had an almost inhuman kind of beauty with her abnormally tall height and thin figure. Her face was long and slender with a majestically glossed set of lips and eyes a bit higher than the normal position for eyes. They seemed horizontally stretched, and their color was indeterminable — as if their color was always changing. Her eyelashes were long and shaded her eyes well. Her extremely thick brown hair seemed to never stop flowing down her back past her waste.

Damali seemed completely motionless until Pichi returned with a scroll in his grip. Bowing, he lifted it up to his master. She unrolled it carefully with her long, slender fingers. Her perfect, manicured fingernails circled around a section of words.

"There were no strangers who entered or left the kingdom in the last three days!" she exclaimed.

"It did not have to be a stranger who stole the crown!" Pichi suggested.

"Most likely not, and it seems that everyone who left has come back!"

Pichi approached the queen's side and gazed at the scroll, "I don't remember Matsu ever leaving!" He pointed to one of the names.

"Nor do I," Damali agreed. "I shall have a word with him. Until then, we must do all we can to find that crown! That diadem should never be in anyone's hand but the ruler! And that would be me!"

"We should search the kingdom!" Pichi suggested.

"Very good, Pichi! Why are you not my advisor?" she smiled, despite the situation. "Arrange a search party! All soldiers and men in the kingdom! Search the kingdom! Every house and shop!"

"Yes Lady Damali," Pichi got to his feet and started off.

"And Pichi —"

"Yes, Lady Damali?"

"Keep on your toes. Be careful!"

"Thank you, Milady," he bowed and left.

Damali then summoned for her advisor, "Matsu! Come by my side now please."

A creature much like Pichi slid to the queen's side. With a less squeaky voice — much like a sick tiger cub - he bowed, "Yes Milady."

"The diadem — it's missing, and you left the gates yesterday without notifying me first!"

"I have not seen the diadem, Milady. And I am unaware of any law that says I need permission to leave."

"Nor do I, but I would prefer you tell me first. I could have been in dire need of you!"

"I apologize, Milady."

"What do you propose we do about the crown? I have already created a search party!"

"It does contain power beyond belief, and surely if anyone stole it they would have bad intentions. Perhaps you could activate its curse to insure that they are incapable of doing such things."

"Activate its curse, you say?"

"Then whoever wears it will pay!"

"I like the idea, Matsu. Everyone knows not to steal the Diadem. So, everyone knows there will be consequences. Matsu, fetch me my spell-book."


	3. Activation

It was a quiet, undisturbed sleep that woke up quietly and unperturbed. As if sharing the same mind, Aladdin and Jasmine's eyes opened at the same time and met.

"I don't want to get out of bed," Jasmine complained.

"Nor do I," Aladdin grinned then sat up and stretched.

"But I guess we don't have much of a choice, being rulers of a kingdom," Jasmine followed and stepped out of bed.

"We can just rule from here, right?" Aladdin grinned. Seeing the Jasmine was ignoring him, he smiled and followed her out of bed.

After a bit of washing and dressing and applying of makeup and jewelry, Jasmine and Aladdin headed towards the door to go to breakfast.

"The crown!" Jasmine hurried back over to her night table, where her new crown sat. She picked it up and put it on. The moment her hands left its grip, a powerful surge rippled through the palace from it, causing Jasmine to hold her head until it was gone.

Aladdin rushed over to her, "What was that?"

"I don't know."

------

Damali felt the surge in her kingdom. She got up from her sleep immediately and threw on a robe. On her way, she summoned her advisor from his room and hurried down to the throne.

"The spell," she said on her way, "is activated! The crown has been worn!"

"Now we can know who wears it!" Matsu smiled. "Look at your medallion!"

Damali snatched the immense ruby gem on her amulet and glared into it, "Let's see who our thieves are." She waved her hand over the gem and gradually saw the image of Aladdin taking Jasmine's hand and walking out of their room. "No!" Damali gasped and stopped, midway. "No, this isn't right! These can't possibly be imposters! Look at them and how obviously in love they are! How foolish of me to bestow the curse upon them! What do I do, Matsu?"

Matsu took a step closer, "I suppose there is nothing you can do, Milady."

"Of course there is!" Damali snapped at Matsu. "I can relieve the spell a bit. This way that poor girl has a chance of living through the day."

Damali didn't see Matsu frown at this. She immediately summoned for her spell-book and opened up the page to where she would find a semi-relieving spell.


	4. Elmphs

Genie cracked his back on his way to the breakfast room, still in his striped pajamas, slippers, and nightcap, "A long night well slept!"

"Yeah it would have been," Iago groaned, "if you hadn't kept sleep-talking about Hippopotami!"

"Hey, you're just lucky that we let you stay for the week!"

"I'm abounding with luck," Iago mumbled as they entered the banquet room. As if activated by their stepping in, a surge went through the whole palace. Everything waved and shook for two seconds, but nothing broke. When the surge left, everything was as it was.

"Woh, did you feel that?" Genie asked Abu.

"Uh huh," Abu nodded. Minutes later, Aladdin and Jasmine walked in to the room, approaching Genie and everyone else.

"Hey Al, did you feel that?" Genie asked.

"That power wave? Yeah, there were two of them!" Aladdin answered.

"The first one seemed to have happened when I put this crown on," Jasmine gestured to the diadem.

Genie rub his chin, "That's odd. Looks pretty normal to me. What do you say, Bird boy?"

Iago flew over and perched on it, "Looks pretty expensi — er — _normal _to me too!"

Aladdin stood there staring at the diadem in a concerned manner.

Genie noticed this and flew over to him, "Don't worry Al. We'll find out what that was. Then we'll have another adventure — just like the good ol' days!"

Genie went to give Aladdin a friendly slap on the back, but before his hand touched Aladdin, a beam of blue light shot out of nowhere and threw Genie to the ground. Aladdin looked at Jasmine. Her eyes and the ruby on the diadem were glowing the same color blue.

"Jas?" Aladdin walked in front of Jasmine, and eyes returned two their brown equilibrium.

"What was that?" Jasmine rubbed her head.

"You just sent Genie flying to the ground!" Aladdin exclaimed.

Jasmine rushed over to Genie apologetically and lifted him to his feet, "I'm so sorry, Genie! It was like I couldn't control it."

Aladdin observed the ruby, "I think there's something seriously wrong with that ruby. You should take that off." Aladdin removed the diadem, and Jasmine fell to the floor. "Jasmine!" Aladdin caught her.

Genie zoomed to Jasmine's side, "She's not breathing. Put the diadem back on."

Aladdin placed the diadem back on Jasmine's head, and her eyes flung open, "What just happened?"

"I just… killed you!" Aladdin said with ghostly eyes, "There's definitely something wrong with that diadem. When we took it off of you, you fell to floor — um —"

Jasmine sighed, "Dead."

The word made Aladdin shiver, "Genie, do you have any ideas?"

"I'd have to take a look at that diadem," Genie turned to Jasmine and asked maturely, "Did you feel any pain when we took the diadem off?"

She shook her head no.

"Can I take it off?"

Jasmine nodded a bit worriedly.

Genie poofed himself into a surgeon general's outfit and carefully removed the diadem. Aladdin readily caught Jasmine's head as she fell faint again.

"Genie, could you please be quick about it? I have a bad feeling about this," Aladdin grimaced.

Genie poofed into an archaeologist and pulled out a pouch filled with archaeological tools. He tapped the crown with a 'dink, dink', "Real gold, alright! I haven't seen gold like this since forty-nine!" He took out a large magnifying class. "Interesting specimen. Few thousand years old. Real Drimlayan ruby…" He looked it over once and mumbled inaudible words. Then he returned to normal as he placed it back onto Jasmine's head.

Jasmine woke up almost instantly, "Find anything?" Aladdin slid his hands out from under Jasmine's head and watched cautiously as he realized that his beloved had just died twice in five minutes!

Genie took out a mirror and held it in front of Jasmine, so she could see the diadem, "This ruby," Genie gestured to the ruby, "is a Drimlayan Nomadic ruby because it was discovered by ancient nomads seems to possess great powers." He stood up, "Let me see if what I think is correct. Iago - Peck Aladdin on the head."

Before Iago's beak touched Aladdin's head, a beam of blue light shot out of the red ruby and hit Iago, who squawked. Jasmine's eyes glowed the same color blue as before.

"Mhm," Genie observed. He flew over to Iago and poofed into a nerdy scientist's clothing. "I knew I should've listened to the professor about experimenting with animals."

Iago brushed himself off, "Never make me do that again."

Genie turned to Iago, "Now peck me."

"You're lucky the princess is here, or I'd do more than that!" Iago groaned as he pecked Genie, who flinched. Nothing happened.

"Mhm," Genie nodded. "It seems to only protect the one true love of its wearer. Which would be Al."

"I say we pay a visit to that beggar that gave it to her!" Aladdin suggested.

"Yeah, but where would he be?" Jasmine asked thoughtfully.

"He couldn't be too far," Aladdin figured.

"Unless he has magic."

"That would cause a problem," Iago exclaimed.

"Tell me," Genie asked, "What did this guy look like?"

Aladdin was the first to answer, "We didn't see his face. He wore a brown hooded robe and had a voice like… Like…"

"Kind of like a growling animal or something," Jasmine shrugged.

"This look familiar?" Genie held up a picture of Marilyn Monroe.

"No."

Genie looked at the picture and blushed, "Oops. Sorry, I'm a fan. How about this?" Genie held up a picture of a being identical to the beggar, but in different attire.

"That's him!"

"This is a rare case of Elmph."

"What?" Iago asked, confused.

"A mix between an elf and an Imp," Genie pulled out a scientific encyclopedia and pointed to the Elmph. It was dressed simply in white garments. It was a short creature with elongated and pointed human-like ears, stubby wings, and a long nose like an imp. He had a plain expressionless face atop his stout body.

"This, my friends, is an Elmph," he put on googly glasses and read, "While usually a quite peaceful creature, it enjoys playing harmless pranks. Elmphs are con when they must be and are skilled in the arts of magic. Because of their diversity, Elmphs have been constantly persecuted and cast out of cities. The only place they can go is the land of Drimlaya."

"Do you suppose that's where he came from?" Aladdin asked.

"Couldn't have been anywhere else!" Genie pointed out. "It's pretty clear here."

"Then off to Drimlaya we go!" Aladdin declared. With a whistle, Carpet flew in, and everyone hopped on and flew off.


	5. Storm!

Damali gazed into her crystal ball after dealing with kingdom matters.

"Delightful, Matsu! They're on their way! Somehow they have found out the origin of the diadem! It must have been that genie with them!"

"Genie?" Matsu beamed and dashed to look in as well. "I have never seen anything like that!"

"Isn't it intriguing?" Damali got back to her subject. "Once they get here, the spell can be broken, and peace will be restored!"

"Delightful," Matsu grinned, pulling out a storm ball secretly from his pocket — a small sphere that can activate a storm anywhere the possessor wishes.

------

Not long into their flight, a storm approached the gang at an abnormal pace. Winds raged, lightning struck, and thunder boomed.

Abu grabbed onto Aladdin, who clung to Carpet, his arms around Jasmine. Iago tried to keep up, but he was too small of a bird. He panted as the winds bashed his tiny wings. A sudden gust blew him away from the gang.

"Iago!" Genie turned back to catch him. Aladdin looked back to see them. A lightning flashed directly in between them, almost blinding him. When his eyesight restored, he saw nothing but a storm behind him. He looked beside him, and Jasmine was still there, holding strongly to Carpet still with one hand on the diadem. And Abu was still flying like a windsock on Aladdin.

Where'd they go? Aladdin looked back again.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine got Aladdin's attention and pointed downwards, "Look."

As the winds died, Aladdin gazed downwards at a world completely different from what they had just gotten out of. It was like a storybook land — rolling green hills, flower meadows, butterflies, and everything else delightful.

"This is definitely not the desert," Aladdin exclaimed.

"Where are we?" Jasmine asked aloud.

"Maybe Drimlaya?" Aladdin hoped. Abu swayed exhaustedly, between Aladdin and Jasmine.

"Maybe there's someone we can ask," Jasmine suggested, "On the other hand, I don't feel right going anywhere without finding Genie and Iago."

------

Damali, entranced in the daring adventure of these outsiders, still sat watching her ruby. "They're here! We must send someone to greet them. Show them the way, Matsu."

"How about I just direct the air current into the royal cave?" Matsu suggested.

"Yes, I suppose that would work. Do that, but gently. I think they've been through enough already. Where did that storm come from anyway?"

"I could not know, Milady," Matsu shrugged as he pulled a wind ball out of another pocket and began to direct the wind.


	6. Welcome to Drimlaya, Dear Couple

Damali gazed into her crystal ball after dealing with kingdom matters.

"Delightful, Matsu! They're on their way! Somehow they have found out the origin of the diadem! It must have been that genie with them!"

"Genie?" Matsu beamed and dashed to look in as well. "I have never seen anything like that!"

"Isn't it intriguing?" Damali got back to her subject. "Once they get here, the spell can be broken, and peace will be restored!"

"Delightful," Matsu grinned, pulling out a storm ball secretly from his pocket — a small sphere that can activate a storm anywhere the possessor wishes.

------

Not long into their flight, a storm approached the gang at an abnormal pace. Winds raged, lightning struck, and thunder boomed.

Abu grabbed onto Aladdin, who clung to Carpet, his arms around Jasmine. Iago tried to keep up, but he was too small of a bird. He panted as the winds bashed his tiny wings. A sudden gust blew him away from the gang.

"Iago!" Genie turned back to catch him. Aladdin looked back to see them. A lightning flashed directly in between them, almost blinding him. When his eyesight restored, he saw nothing but a storm behind him. He looked beside him, and Jasmine was still there, holding strongly to Carpet still with one hand on the diadem. And Abu was still flying like a windsock on Aladdin.

Where'd they go? Aladdin looked back again.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine got Aladdin's attention and pointed downwards, "Look."

As the winds died, Aladdin gazed downwards at a world completely different from what they had just gotten out of. It was like a storybook land — rolling green hills, flower meadows, butterflies, and everything else delightful.

"This is definitely not the desert," Aladdin exclaimed.

"Where are we?" Jasmine asked aloud.

"Maybe Drimlaya?" Aladdin hoped. Abu swayed exhaustedly, between Aladdin and Jasmine.

"Maybe there's someone we can ask," Jasmine suggested, "On the other hand, I don't feel right going anywhere without finding Genie and Iago."

------

Damali, entranced in the daring adventure of these outsiders, still sat watching her ruby. "They're here! We must send someone to greet them. Show them the way, Matsu."

"How about I just direct the air current into the royal cave?" Matsu suggested.

"Yes, I suppose that would work. Do that, but gently. I think they've been through enough already. Where did that storm come from anyway?"

"I could not know, Milady," Matsu shrugged as he pulled a wind ball out of another pocket and began to direct the wind.

------

Before Aladdin could comment to Jasmine's remark, he noticed a large hole opening up in a large rock three yards from them. Aladdin pointed to it, about to say something, but the hole vacuumed him and Jasmine in. They landed on top of each other in a dark, stony area with a thud!

"Matsu, couldn't you have been gentler?" a mature woman's voice asked.

"My apologies, Milady," a husky voice answered as the dark room illuminated from an unseen source.

Aladdin rubbed his head and realized that he was sitting on Jasmine's back. He immediately sprung up and replaced the fallen diadem back onto Jasmine's head. She awoke and knelt, sitting on her heels.

"What was that?" she asked.

"My deepest apologies," the woman's voice echoed once more. Aladdin and Jasmine looked up to find themselves looking up at a woman who was clearly much older than they with an subhuman kind of beauty. Even Jasmine found herself staring.

"My vizier was a bit clumsy with the entrance," the woman — obviously a queen — apologized once more with a glare to the creature beside her. Aladdin and Jasmine recognized it as an Elmph. The Elmph smiled nervously, not really apologetically.

"It's okay," Jasmine assured, sensing trustworthiness in the woman. "Could you tell us where we are?"

"Oh, of course! I'm sorry, I was so caught up in apologizing that I didn't — " she paused and cleared her throat, "I am Lady Damali, queen of Drimlaya. This is Matsu, my royal advisor Elmph."

Matsu bowed solemnly.

"You must be Aladdin and Jasmine, the royal couple who has come upon our kingdom's sacred crown," Damali continued.

Jasmine looked up at her crown, though she could not see it.

"So you know about this crown?" Aladdin asked suspiciously. By experience, he knew that most people who had known his name before he had introduced himself was most likely magical.

"Of course!" Damali answered, "Everyone in my kingdom knows of it! I mean, even —" she paused again. "Would you mind if we discussed this over dinner?"

Aladdin began to remark, but Jasmine interrupted him, "Of course."

"Delightful!" Damali clasped her hands together. "Would you like to clean up first? I'll have my servants give you a room. Would that be together or separate? Is there a preference for what you would like to eat? Any special needs that should be seen to at once?"

Aladdin almost remarked once more, but Jasmine interrupted, "A room together, please. Whatever you have to serve will be delightful, and we have no needs that must be taken care of. Thank you for your generosity."

Damali nodded and replied, gesturing to the diadem, "I shall see you at dinner, and we shall discuss the matter at hand."

"Thank you very much, your highness," Jasmine bowed. Aladdin bowed — with suspicion — as well.

"My pleasure," Damali returned a bow and clapped. Servants immediately seemed to have come out of nowhere and started to guide Aladdin and Jasmine.

As Damali turned to leave with her Elmph, Aladdin stopped them, "Wait!"

"Yes?" Damali asked eager for an answer.

"We did not come alone," Aladdin continued, "We had a parrot, a monkey, a carpet, and… another friend." As Aladdin spoke, he realized how funny he must have sounded. He did not mention that Genie was a genie, just in case the kind hospitality-givers ended up being obsessed with stealing magic.

Damali put one long, slender index finger to her lips in thought and turned to Matsu, "Matsu? Were they not the ones lost in the storm?"

"I believe they were, Milady," Matsu replied.

"Do we know where the winds of that storm were heading to?"

"I do not believe we know."

Damali paused for another moment then turned back to Aladdin, "I will have everyone search for your friends and have my royal weather Elmphs to evaluate the winds from the storm. Be assured that your friends will be found by the end of the week."

This was assuring, for it was the next-to-last day of the week. Aladdin was unsure, but did not know what to do. He would have much rather gone on a search for them, but knew he could not leave Jasmine or put her in possible danger by taking her with him. So, he reluctantly nodded and thanked Damali. With that, the servants took them to their room.


	7. As Dinner Nears

Carpet flew after his friends as they were sucked into that rock, but the hole shut as he reached it, causing him to smack into the solid rock. He flew all around it. Not finding any trace of them, he flew around the city, which he found to be an island with every kind of terrain from glaciers to inactive volcanoes to deserts to tropics — all within about twenty square miles.

Even still, he found no trace of any of his friends.

He landed in a mile-long oasis on the outskirts of the city. Draping himself over the only outstretched, leaf-bereft tree-branch he could find, he took a rest to ponder. Contrary to what you may have been told, Carpets are very intelligent, which is a spectacular thing — especially because of their lack of a brain or other thought-bringing organs or mechanisms.

The reason I tell you this is because if I said, "Carpet then thought," you may sit back and cross your arms. "Pfft," you would huff and roll your eyes, "That is the most absurd thing I have heard." Now that you know that it is, in fact, not absurd, I proceed to tell you that Carpet did, indeed, stop and think.

Naturally being a flyer, Carpet easily analyzed the past weather patterns and the direction in which he had flown. Once he realized that he had flown into Drimlaya from the south, if he headed south, perhaps he would be able to at least find Genie and Iago. That's when it dawned on him: Abu had landed safely with Aladdin and Jasmine, but he was not captured with Aladdin and Jasmine.

So, where was Abu?!

------

The servants were cheery, whistling all the way to Aladdin and Jasmine's room. One took out a key, unlocked the door, and eased it open. He spread his arms out and grinned proudly, as if he were opening a door to the most important room in the palace.

"Welcome to your room!" he exclaimed, his voice squeaky.

Jasmine and Aladdin walked in, immediately admiring the room. It was exactly identical to their room in Agrabah, but the color scheme was different, and there was a door where the balcony curtains would be.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine exclaimed with a happy gasp, "It's just like home!"

Aladdin couldn't help letting out a "wow."

One of the other two Elmphs with them hurried past the couple, almost pushing them out of the way. This one was a female, dress in a gold-trimmed white robe, with gold strings entwined in her black dreads. She scurried to the bed and exclaimed, "Oh no! Wrinkles!" Her voice was almost cute, how high-pitched it was. It sounded much like a talking kitten. She frantically started to smooth out hardly noticeable wrinkles in the cover on the bed. "Royal couples mustn't have wrinkles on their bed!"

She turned around, "And, oh! Who was the last to dust!" She scurried over to the ivory dresser and ran her index finger along its surface. She then held it up to her eyes and gave out a frenzied squeak.

Jasmine hurried over to her, "Attalisa." Jasmine spoke the Elmph's name. She knew her name, for the Elmph wore a beautiful necklace with her name on it. "The room is perfect. It couldn't possibly be better."

Attalisa looked up at Jasmine childishly, "Are you sure?"

Jasmine smiled and nodded, "Positive. And I'm sure you are busy with other things, correct?"

Attalisa grinned, "You bet your Gretschungrewqins!"

Must be an Elmph expression, Jasmine thought to herself, "Then I would hate to burden you and keep you from them. Aladdin and I will make ourselves comfortable."

Attalisa bowed, "Help yourself to any clothes, jewelry, perfume, make-up, accessories, accommodations-"

"I will be sure to," Jasmine thanked Attalisa, and she left. The other two Elmphs followed her out, the last one soundlessly shutting the door behind them.

Aladdin walked over to Jasmine, who had set herself on the bed. Jasmine fell back exhaustedly. Aladdin did the same. They found themselves looking up at a rich taffeta canopy, one delicacy in which the couple did not have at home.

"We should have a canopy at home," Jasmine spoke quietly.

"When we get home, I'll get one for you," Aladdin smiled.

There was a moment of silence until Aladdin finally stated what they both were wondering, "What is going on?"

"I know no more than you do," Jasmine turned her head to face Aladdin's. "But somehow I feel protected."

"Why is that?" Aladdin faced her.

"Queen Damali seems genuine and honest. I think she means no harm, only to break this spell."

"Then why is she making us wait until dinner?" Aladdin asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if all she wanted us here for was to save you from the diadem, then why didn't she just do something when we first met? She must need to talk to us about something if she doesn't plan to see us until dinner.

"Also," he continued, "I can't help but feel that that storm that caused Genie and Iago to disappear was somehow linked to all of this."

He looked Jasmine in the eyes, "There is definitely evil lurking around here."

Jasmine sat up and took his hand, "Evil we have dealt with before. We'll keep doing it."

Aladdin sat up and eyed the Diadem. Then he returned his gaze to Jasmine, "You're right."

"When am I not?" she smiled.

"Good question," he leaned in and gave her a kiss.

Someone was watching from where the couple could not see, "You're wrong now, Princess. You're wrong now."

------

Damali sat on her throne, "Please tell me again, Matsu, why we must wait until dinner to do anything?"

"What kind of greeting would it be for out guests if, once we met them, we started surrounding them with magic? It's a frightening thing to break a spell!" Matsu answered simply.

"What kind of greeting is it to surprise them and have an Air-Rock suck them in all of a sudden?"

"My apologies for that, Milady. It was not my intention to be so violent," Matsu bowed.

"Make sure it never happens again. Next time, we sound out a welcome committee."

"Your ideas are wise, Lady Damali, and I support them to the full."

"Have we gathered together the items we need for the spell-breaking in the tower?"

"Everything except for the crown and its wearer," Matsu nodded.

Damali grinned with satisfaction, "I am pleased to have a vizier always on top of these things."

"As I am pleased to be your vizier always on top of things."

Damali laughed and paused. She looked at Matsu, "I think I really like our visitors! They seem so in love and so kind! Did you see how much protection he gives her? And he listens to her so well!" Damali sighed. "It reminds me of when I was last in love."

Matsu nodded apathetically.

"I can't wait to get to know them at dinner," she grinned — a bit childishly for someone at her age.

"Nor can I."

"It shall be a huge feast-"

"A huge feast?" Matsu interrupted her.

"Is something wrong?"

Matsu bowed, "My apologies for the interruption, Milady. But don't you think it would be more appropriate for the occasion if the dinner was just the three of you — or the four of us? Sacred magic is not a matter to be discussed with an audience."

Damali thought for a minute and nodded, "Just the four of us. It's a very excellent idea, and I know not why I did not think of it myself!" She turned to the side, where she had a small golden bell, and she rang it.

Pichi ran in the moment the last tone faded. He bowed, "Yes, Milady?"

"Pichi, tell the servants the plans have been changed. The feast tonight shall be a low-key dinner in the smaller counsel chamber, no servants. The food is to be laid out before the guests arrive. We shall dine in privacy."

Pichi bowed, "Yes, Milady."

"And Pichi, make sure you tell the guests as well!"

Pichi bowed once more, "I will be sure to!"

"Thank you, Pichi."

"Anything else, Milady?"

"No, Pichi. Go!" Damali grinned and shooed Pichi away.

------

Pichi bumped into Attalisa on the way, causing her to drop the tray she was carrying.

"Oh, Pichi! I'm sorry!" she said as she hurriedly scurried to pick up the items she dropped — a warm loaf of bread, two silver goblets, a bowl of grapes, and eating-ware.

"No, I'm sorry, Lisa," Pichi apologized as he bent down and help her, "At least there was no glass!"

"Truly! That would be absolutely Hulnchferawd!"

"Hulnchferawd indeed!" Pichi nodded as he picked up the last item.

"Thank you greatly, Pichi Kurflen."

"Think nothing of it, Ma'am," he bowed and took off his hat. Attalisa blushed.

"Say," Pichi remarked, "Where are you taking these?"

"The new guests! The humans from Agrabah! They are so kind, I decided to make them some Deughtrewquas!"

"I think perhaps now may not be the right time to deliver any food."

"Why is that?"

"Lady Damali is holding a dinner for them next hour!"

"Oh, not a good time indeed!" Attalisa blushed and smiled widely, "But I suppose a little appetizer won't hurt!"

"I do not think it will. Deughtrewquas is a light bread," Pichi smiled in return, "And a very delicious one, at that. Especially when made by the Lady's Third Cook's Assistant!"

"Second to be!"

"Congratulations!" Pichi put his hands in the air and waved on, an Elmphish custom signifying pride for someone who deserves congratulations or praise for something great. "I must now be on my way! As Chamberlain, I must deliver a message!"

"Certainly!"

"Oh, and since you're on the way to our guests, will you tell them that the dinner is to be held in the Smaller Counsel Audience Chamber, rather than the Banquet Hall?"

"Of course! Thank you, Pichi Kurflen."

"Thank you, Attalisa W'Yopp," Pichi bowed and left with a farewell, "C'Venses C'Venses."

"C'Venses C'Venses," Attalisa replied and watched Pichi disappear. Once out of sight, she gave out a giggle and proceeded to the guestroom.

------

There was a faint tap on the door as Aladdin was pulling up the zipper on the back of Jasmine's dress for her.

"I'll see who that is," he offered.

"Okay," Jasmine nodded cheerfully.

Aladdin walked over to the door and opened it, looking straight ahead and seeing nobody. He looked down and saw an Elmph — the girl Elmph Attalisa.

"Hello, Sir," she blushed shyly.

"Hello. You can come in," Aladdin opened the door widely for her.

"Thank you, I'm very sorry if I was interrupting anything!"

"You weren't," Jasmine assured her.

"That dress is very beautiful," Attalisa smiled.

"It certainly is! In fact, Aladdin and I were just praising it. And I see by the signature on the bottom that it was made by Attalisa!" Jasmine smiled as if Attalisa was a little girl.

Attalisa blushed, "Yes, one of my favorites. Just made it last week! I am glad to see someone worthy of it wearing it is!"

"Thank you," Jasmine took a seat and pointed to the tray Attalisa held in her hand, "What have you brought?"

Attalisa looked at what she held in hand as if she had forgotten it was there and held it out to Aladdin, who sat down in front of her, "It's Deughtrewquas. Drimlayan Elmphish light bread. You may not know of it, but I assure you that it is delicious."

Aladdin took it from her gratefully, "Did you make this as well?"

Attalisa nodded.

"We seem to have real hospitality!" Jasmine smiled.

"Thank you," Attalisa paused, then remembered her message. "I am here for a second reason. I am here to give you a message."

Aladdin leaned forward with interest.

"It is nothing serious! Sit back and relax!" Attalisa motioned for Aladdin to get less tense.

Aladdin grinned and turned to Jasmine, "She's beginning to sound like you!"

Jasmine rolled her eyes and turned back to Attalisa, "Go on!"

"Lady Damali wants you to be informed that the dinner is not going to be held in the Banquet Hall as planned, but rather in the Smaller Audience Chamber."

"Is that all?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes, that is all," Attalisa stood up, "Thank you. I must go now. But I hope you enjoy your Deughtrewquas."

"I'm sure we will," Jasmine thanked her once more.

"Thank you," Aladdin grinned the charming way he does and let Attalisa out of the room. He headed over to the Deughtrewquas and picked it up, "Do you think it's safe to eat?"

"I've heard of this bread before, and I hear it's fantastic!"

"No," Aladdin interrupted, "I mean — Is it safe to eat?"

Jasmine paused as she understood what he was asking, "It's not poisoned, if that's what you mean. Look." Jasmine pointed to the seal on the foil wrapping over the Deughtrewquas, then to the seals on the foil wrapping tightly wrapped around the silver goblets, "These seals signify that the royal testers and scientists have declared this safe to eat."

"But what if-"

Jasmine put her finger to his mouth, "No 'Ifs'. I have been in royalty for nearly twenty years. I know the process, and I know by the size of the tester room — we passed it on the way up here — that the process here is much longer than the one at Agrabah. No one is trying to poison us."

"Okay," Aladdin gave in.

"Now come help me get this necklace on."

"Coming!" Aladdin helped Jasmine fasten a lovely necklace around Jasmine's neck. Her dress was a spotless white with a gold sash, and a gold and blue metal collar. The trimmings on the long sleeves and on the bass of the dress were six inches in and gold. The sleeves were lung and hung low at the ends. The necklace was a thin, clear string choker with turquoise-colored diamonds and gold, with one large diamond in the center. Jasmine only brushed her hair where she could brush it without removing the diadem and turned to Aladdin, who had also changed.

His outfit was a plain white shirt with a turquoise-colored pair of pants. The shirt was comfortably fit across the chess and loose on the sleeves. The sleeves were tied at the end. He chose to wear his Agrabanian turban; Jasmine insisted that it matched nicely, and she doesn't want him wearing any suspicious crowns.

"I'm ready to go," Jasmine walked over to him.

"Shall we?" Aladdin reached for the doorknob like a Chauffeur, but the knob wouldn't turn. "It's locked."


	8. Quake

The south winds were warm and comforting, but Carpet did not feel them. He was flying so quickly, all he could feel was the pressing breeze against him. He was flying so swiftly that the wind against him hardly had enough time to catch up with him. When he reached the area that the storm had hit, he comfortably came to a stop. The frequent flyer felt a faint residue from the storm and looked around.

He sighed when he saw a blue figure and a tiny red ball of feathers below him.

The blue figure started waving his arms back and forth and the air, yelling, "Help us! Help us!" He turned and started sending up flares, almost hitting Carpet! When Carpet landed on the ground, he saw that the blue figure — Genie — had a small pole with a volleyball on it. The volleyball had a face drawn onto it and Genie was talking to it like it was his friend, "We're gonna go home!"

Carpet turned to Iago, who was with him, "Hey, don't look at me! I've never seen him in my life!"

Genie got on his knees before Carpet and started crying, "Thank you! Thank you so muuuchhh! I've gone the whole day with not a drop to drink nor a bite to eat!"

Iago flew up to his ear and yelled into it, "YOU CAN FEED YOURSELF!! YOU'RE MAGIC!!"

Genie turned red, "Heh. Forgot about that." Genie paused and laid out a picnic set. He and Iago immediately started to feast. Carpet shrugged and joined them. Genie started the conversation, "Anywhooo… Where are Al and Jas?"

Carpet started pointing to the north wildly.

"Are they okay?" Genie put down his sandwich, realizing that the situation could be serious.

Carpet shrugged.

"I say we go find them!"

Carpet sprung up and motioned for Genie and Iago to follow. Genie immediately made the picnic vanish, much to Iago's dismay. He then shot into the sky with Carpet. Remembering Iago, he turned around to face him, "You coming or what?"

"You know what?" Iago thought aloud, "I was thinking maybe I like this whole stranded by myself thing!"

Genie disregarded this and grabbed Iago, taking off swiftly after Carpet.

"Alright fine! But let me go! I can fly too!"

------

Aladdin wriggled the knob a bit more.

"Locked?" Jasmine asked as she took over the knob, "It's probably just sticky." She wriggled it. "It IS locked!"

"I knew there was something wrong with this place-"

Jasmine turned around and placed her index finger on Aladdin's lips, silencing him, "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Aladdin and Jasmine both pressed their ears against the door. Both of them heard a rumbling noise that gradually got louder. As its volume increased, the floor started to shake.

"Jasmine, I don't like this," Aladdin backed from the rattling door and clutched Jasmine's wrist, removing her palm from the door and spoke almost inaudibly. "We should get away from the door."

Jasmine looked at him, barely able to hear him. By his gestures, she realized what he was saying, but before she could react, the door flung open, knocking her and Aladdin violently away from it. The door opener was Pichi!

Without apologizing, he slammed the door shut behind him, "There's big trouble going —" He paused and twitched his ears up. "Lisa!" He once again ran to the door and opened it.

"What's going on here?!" Aladdin yelled as he crawled to Jasmine and wrapped his arms around her; Pichi did not answer as he swiftly rushed out the door. Moments later, he dove back in with another figure in his arms. Slamming the door, he yelled, "BRACE YOURSELVES!!!"

Aladdin tightened his grip on Jasmine, squeezing his eyes shut. He called out her name, but Jasmine was motionless and quiet. Aladdin gave out a yell as the explosion finally reached their room, and everything started to crumble beneath them.

------

There was a sudden rumbling noise from beneath the three flyers. They looked below them, but they saw no sign of volatility.

"Look!" Iago pointed to a palace not so far in the distance. It was far enough that they couldn't make out any beings in it, but close enough that they could see the colors of balcony curtains. It was magnificent — somewhat like the Agrabanian palace, only more blue and lavender in color. The towers seemed twisted, too, rather than cylindrical like Agrabah's. Every tower was topped with a golden sphere — much like a cherry on top of an ice cream.

There were far more balconies than Agrabah's palace. Each one had majestic taffeta curtains, each one with a different color. There were three times as many windows as there were balconies, each scattered in places where no need for a window seemed necessary. Each one was in a different shape, with velvet flags out of the five that were lined atop the main entrance.

The steps leading up to the main entrance came in two different sets, each with smooth, pearl railings with golden supports running up and down the sides. Atop the stairs were about fifteen square feet of plateau, where there were marble benches and statues of Elmphs. At the end of that, there were four steps leading to the main doors. The doors themselves were shaped just like Agrabah's, only they were lined with an unidentifiable kind of treasure — or treasures. The colors changed every second, and they seemed indestructible.

The three of them noted that Agrabah's palace was definitely more majestic, but this was definitely more magical in appearance. The only thing diffusing this beauty was how much it was shaking. Balconies started to crack, and flags were falling from windowsills.

"Carpet!" Genie summoned, "Are Al and Jas in there?"

Carpet shrugged.

"Where did you lose them?" Carpet pointed away from the palace.

Genie followed his point to a small meadow surrounded by trees that was on the outskirts of the town. Then he looked back at the palace, which was starting to look like it was about to fall apart. "I'd go to where you're pointing, but… I can't help but think that they're in there!" He looked at Carpet and Iago as if they were going to tell him which way to go.

All of a sudden, an explosion erupted from the bottom-right side of the palace.

"I vote we go to the pretty, harmless meadow!" Iago whined after seeing this.

"No way!" Genie and Carpet rushed toward the palace as the explosion spread upward and over.

Iago reluctantly followed, whining, "Why do I always have to be the third wheel? Why can't anyone say, 'You're right Iago! Let's go where YOU want to go! Let's do what YOU say!'"

Genie looked at him, "The occasion rarely calls for it."

"Har. Har. You're a riot. Really."

------

Safely hidden from the destruction, one being looked into a portal to see Genie, Carpet, and Iago flying towards the palace. It turned around to a bony, furry primate in chains.

"Are these your friends?"

The monkey screeched.

As if he didn't hear the answer, the being continued, "You didn't tell me you had friends!… No matter. I knew it anyway. It is quite interesting that a monkey would be friends with a Genie and a Carpet."

More chattering.

"Yes, and a parrot," it looked closely into its portal, "But the parrot is not what interests me. It's interesting enough your master's princess has lasted as long as she has…"

The monkey glared at the being protectively.

"Abu. That is your name. Am I correct?"

The monkey answered approvingly.

"Well, Abu. I think I'm beginning to narrow in on your friends… and that crown," it said with a screechy cackle as it headed towards a confusing assortment of mechanical levers.

------

The explosion only lasted for a few seconds. The four beings in the room stayed motionless for the first two minutes, wondering if the scene would once more return to its volatile state or if the other members in the room were okay. Two minutes was just enough time to let the dust settle and assure the damage intended was over with.

Pichi supported himself to his feet and extended his arm out to the Elmph he had rescued — Attalisa. She gratefully took it and let him help her to her feet.

"Aladdin," Pichi scurried over to Aladdin and Jasmine with Attalisa and shook Aladdin's shoulder. "Aladdin. Are you okay? It's safe to get up now."

Aladdin was okay. And he was awake too. But he didn't want to let go of Jasmine. Nonetheless, he let go and raised himself to a seated position.

"Pichi?" he muttered sleepily.

"Yes," Pichi answered. "How did you know my name?"

"Your medallion. It says Pichi."

"Oh, of course," Pichi gestured to Jasmine, "Your lady. Is she alright?"

Aladdin looked down at Jasmine's still figure and realized that it was not the Jasmine he was with minutes before! He cautiously rolled the figure over for a better look. It was definitely Jasmine's face and body. But the hair was pulled back braided in cornrows. And she was no longer wearing the dress she was wearing before.

The new dress was maroon with gold lining. The sides were cut out, and the top wrapped around her neck. She had golden eye shadow that covered all of her eyelids and black eyeliner put on very thickly. A dark maroon lipsticks outlined and shaded with black blanketed her lips. Her earrings and her necklace were both made of thick, solid gold.

"Jasmine?" Aladdin asked cautiously, "Jasmine, are you awake? Is that you?"

Pichi lifted her wrist helpfully and checked her pulse, "She's not alive."

Aladdin turned his gaze to her head and noticed that she had no diadem, "The diadem! Where is the diadem?!"

"It must have come off in the attack!"

"Attack?"

"The explosion!" Pichi motioned to the damage. Everything was gray, and many things were broken, torn, and singed. But there was no remaining fire except for a few tiny, harmless licks, and the ground did not give way.

"How are we ever going to find the diadem in all of this mess?" Aladdin stood up.

"I'll help you look!" Attalisa started to sniff the air and rummage through the rubble.

"I will as well," Pichi went to assist her. Aladdin willingly assisted.

"Do you have any idea of what is going on here?" Aladdin asked as he worked.

"Not all, but a good portion," Pichi answered through his labor.

"Well, start explaining."

"Where do I begin?"

"Begin with who is behind all this!"

"It's-"

"Found it!" Attalisa sprung out of the rubble comically with the diadem in her clutches.


	9. I'm Reading History

"Search the windows," Genie ordered as he turned into a bluebird.

"What windows are left," Iago mumbled as he obediently peered through shards of windows. The castle was still standing and, aside from the fallen balconies and shattered windows, looked as it had before from the outside. However, peering into the windows, the trio realized the devastation's true results. Anything that was standing had fallen. Floors had collapsed and become dangerous holes. There was hardly any source of light except for the occasional flicker of harmless petals of fire.

Carpet was the one to find his friends, and Genie and Iago immediately came to his side when he was wildly motioning that he had found them. The balcony to their room had completely fallen and crushed anything that had been under it. The balcony's entrance was like a massive open hole in the wall. Genie flew in as Aladdin knelt with Jasmine's motionless head rested in his lap. Two Elmphs stood nearby, the female one holding the diadem like it was a tray of food.

"Put it on," Aladdin turned to her.

"Al?" Genie approached Aladdin gently.

Aladdin, startled by his sudden appearance, snapped his head around and made a protective gesture over Jasmine, which hindered the Elmph from putting the diadem on. Aladdin saw that it was only his friend and gave what seemed to be an attempted smile. "Genie! You're okay!"

Genie nodded. Iago and Carpet came to his side, "So are Iago and Carpet. Are you?"

"I am, but Jasmine?" Aladdin turned to the Elmph, "I'm sorry, Attalisa. You can put on the crown now."

Attalisa forced an obedient smile and placed the diadem back on Jasmine's head. All of a sudden, a red light surrounded her as her torso raised her to a mechanical sitting positoin. Her eyes glowed a fiery red, and her fingertips spewed out the same red. "Jehersy mak liogrytch," a woman's voice that was not hers spoke aloud. The words literally came out of her mouth in fiery foreign letters. With this spoken, she fell back onto Aladdin's lap with the white dress she was wearing in the first place on, the red lights gone and the fiery words vaporizing in mid air.

"Jasmine?" Aladdin called her name.

"Mhm?" she answered as she rose to her knees as if nothing had happened. She looked around at the devestation, "What just happened?"

"An explosion," Aladdin answered.

"An attack," Pichi corrected.

"Your diadem fell off," Aladdin helped her to her feet.

"What happened?" Jasmine asked again, knowing that there was more. She truly hated the worried looks in everybody's faces.

"You..." Aladdin started, trying to find how to say what had just happened.

"Died again?" Jasmine answered with disdain towards the situation.

Aladdin nodded and tried to articulate, "But when you did, you... weren't... you."

"I wasn't me?"

"No, you were wearing a totally different outfit, your hair was different, and then when we put it back on-"

"It got even weirder," Iago muttered.

Jasmine crossed her arms when there was a sudden silent filled with blank stares at her, "You guys! Stop treating me like I'm insecure! I'm nineteen years old! I can handle the truth! Tell me what happened."

Aladdin apologized, "I'm sorry, it's just that-"

"Aladdin," Jasmine looked at him pleadingly, "Please. Just tell me."

"You started glowing red and uttered these words."

"Elmphish words," Pichi added.

Jasmine, losing her disdainful face, glanced at Pichi, "What were they?"

"Jehersy mak liogrytch," Pichi answered, "It means 'I'm reading history.'"

Genie scratched his head, "Funny, usually it's something like, 'Get out! Get out!'" On these words, he turned into a ghost. Or, "'You will pay!'" He gave himself Mozenrath's head. Popping back to normal, with a history book in hand, he added, "But, 'I'm reading history'?"

"Maybe it has some kind of hidden meaning," Aladdin suggested thoughtfully.

"Why does everything have to have a hidden meaning?!" Iago asked grievingly.

"Aladdin's right," Pichi said. "Perhaps it's some kind of clue."

"Clue to what?" Aladdin asked. "Clue about the diadem? Clue about whoever that lady was? Clue about what is going on here?"

"I have a feeling it's a clue about all of them," Pichi answered.

"So what would we do with the clue?" Jasmine asked. Her question was followed by a long, confusing silence.

"We could go to the library!" Attalisa exclaimed, surprising the others.

Pichi snapped his fingers, a thing in which is rare for Elmphs, "I think that's a perfect idea!"

The rest of the gang wasn't so sure about this, but they had no other clue to what to do. So, the six of them opened the door (a process in which actually became "taking off" the door), and they made their way towards the hall. One Elmphish servant about Attalisa's age rushed by, and Attalisa grabbed her by the arm, "Lohinicia! What has happened?"

"There was an attack!" the Elmph answered. Her voice was more matured than Attalisa's and carried more confidence, but fear was apparent.

"I know that! But what happened? Is everyone okay? How did it start?"

"I don't know how it started, but I can't find any other servants except for Getor! They've all disappeared!"

"Are you sure they aren't trapped under debris?" Pichi inquired.

Lohinicia nodded, "Positive! Getor and I were in the ballroom celebrating our visitors, and everybody disappeared! Not even a second later, there was an explosion! Getor and I were the only ones who did not disappear!"

"What were you doing when they disappeared?" Aladdin asked.

"Getor and I were..." she stopped suddenly and curtsied with a blush, "My apologies for not addressing you, Sir Adin."

"It's just Aladdin. Who is Getor?"

"My husband, and you had asked what we were doing. We were serving Matsu, Lady Damali's advisor."

"Lady Damali!" Attalisa squealed. "What of Lady Damali?!"

"She is among those who had disappeared," Lohinicia replied mournfully.

"We have to find them!" Aladdin exclaimed courageously.

"Thank you, Nicia," Pichi answered, fear capturing every shine of his eyes. "Please keep your eye out for more clues."

Lohinicia nodded and stood up tall and faced Aladdin, about to bid him farewell. But in doing so, she noticed the diadem on Jasmine's head. She gasped, "Milady Min! You have the sacred crown on!"

Jasmine nodded with regret, "It has been causing us trouble."

"Please know that that diadem is very dangerous! I don't know much about it, but the books in the library may help you!" Lohinicia suggested.

"We are on our way as we speak!" Jasmine answered.

Lohinicia bowed, "Make haste, and may you stay safe."

Jasmine nodded her head in a bowing manner, "And same to you."

"C'Venses C'Venses," she bid them farewell.

"C'Venses C'Venses," Pichi answered, and the Elmph left, calling out her husband's name.

"Well, at least we know the library is a good idea," Genie suggested optimistically.

"Sounds suspicious," Iago shuddered.

"Everything is suspicious to you, Iago," Genie shook his head jokingly.

"Are you trying to say I'm paranoid?"

Genie shrugged.

"Well I'll-"

"Iago! Genie!" Aladdin interrupted them, "Do you really think that this is a good time to argue?"

"For Genie, it's always a good time to argue," Iago mumbled.

Aladdin ignored it and motioned the gang onwards.

"There are so many books!" Genie exclaimed, trying to find something that may have been of help.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" Iago hollered, "Because we ARE kind of in a library!"

"The bird is annoying me," Attalisa commented.

"He has that first effect," Aladdin answered, running his fingers along endless rows of history books, "How would we know what to find?"

"The language she spoke was ancient Elmphish. If we could find something on the history of Elmphs, maybe?'

"But the person Jasmine turned into wasn't an Elmph. She was a-"

"Human," Pichi interrupted, "But it makes sense if you read up on Elmphish history. We might have more luck in the Eastern wing of the history section."

Aladdin turned to Jasmine, "Pichi and I going to the Eastern section of the section. Are you okay staying here?"

"Of course!" Jasmine answered with the kind of charm that made Aladdin wonder how she could stay so happy with all that was going on.

Pichi lead Aladdin to the Eastern wing of the history section, where the bookshelves were five times higher than the normal reachable ones in the other wings.

"You'd think the shelves would be shorter."

"They were made for giants," Pichi answered.

"There aren't any giants in Drimlaya, are there?"

Pichi shook his head, "Not any more."

"I guess it's something I'd have to read on?"

Pichi nodded, "You got it." He started looking immediately. Aladdin did the same.

"Why did Lohinicia call me 'Adin' and Jasmine 'Min?' And how does she know our names? In Agrabah, the servants barely know any guests in the palace!"

"It's Drimlayan custom to know the names and home of foreign guests. Servants are educated with the names and customs of every royal person of every kingdom, so they would be ready if any ever visited. A thing in which is very common."

"Is that why Jasmine and my bedroom was almost identical to our bedroom in Agrabah?"

Pichi nodded, "And of the names. It is a form of respect to call one by the last part of their name. I would be Chi, Attalisa is Lisa, you are Adin, and your wife is Min. If I were to become very familiar with you, like Attalisa and Lohinicia are with each other, I would call you Alad and your wife Jas."

Aladdin nodded understandingly, "And what of the saying, 'C'Venses C'Venses'?"

"Elmphish for 'warmth and love, warmth and love.'"

A few minutes passed before Aladdin spoke again, "Pichi. Thank you."

"For?"

"For warning us of the attack and for helping us."

Aladdin thanked him, and Pichi gave him a friendly, "Think nothing of it."

"Here," Pichi pulled out a book. "This might help you."

He handed it Aladdin, who opened it up. As if summoned by its opening, a gust of wind blew threw the library. It lasted five seconds. At the end it, Jasmine found herself beside Aladdin, firmly grasping the diadem on her head; she had been blown to him by the wind. Her eyes were wide and frightened as she glanced up into Aladdin's eyes that mirrored her expression, "What was that?"

Pichi smiled, unphased, "It was the book's magic. I think we have the right book."


	10. And Pichi Began to Read

And Pichi Began to Read:

"King Ayalmird, ruler of Qefezh ruled his land with a good strength. There was little crime and poverty and much happiness and joy. Ayalmird had seven children, the eldest being Prince Kirth and the youngest being Princess Sinajwa. Prince Kirth was growing to be much like his father, which pleased Ayalmird so much that, when his fleet discovered an uncharted land neighboring Qefezh, he claimed it and named Kirth king over it. On the same day, he announced that Kirth would someday be king of Qefezh as well.

"Over the years, every one of Ayalmird's children were happily wed except for Sinajwa. Sinajwa's beauty was so captivating that no man could ever love her beyond her allure. The young Sinajwa, although a wealthy princess, only longed to be loved.

"After Ayalmird's peaceful death, Kirth joined his and his father's kingdoms and named the land 'Drimlaya,' which is the backwards spelling of 'Ayalmird.' But, the peace did not last long. Terrifying giants attacked the land and took over the throne. Kirth escaped with some brave men, but Sinajwa was captured by the giants' king who forced her to be engaged to his vile son.

"So, Sinajwa secretly went to see a mystic. She told her - "

As Pichi turned the page, a blinding light shot out of the book.

------

"Did you hear that?" Iago asked Genie, who tossed another book onto a pile of other useless books.

"Hear what?"

Then he heard the voices of Pichi, Aladdin, and Jasmine calling out in fear. The sound was followed by a surge of blinding light.

Then nothing.

"Al! Jas!" Genie flew over to where they were, but there was nothing.


	11. Further Separation

**Chapter 11**

Aladdin moaned as he brought himself to his feet. He was in a grassy dirt field, stretching into the horizon on all sides but one. On that side was the hazy silhouette of a large city.

"Where am I?" whined a voice nearby.

Aladdin looked to see that it belonged to Pichi! Aladdin rushed to his side and helped him to his feet, relieved that he was perfectly fine.

"Where are _we_?" Aladdin reiterated out loud. "And where's Jasmine? And where's-"

"The book!" Pichi pointed to the book, which lay twenty feet away from them. They hurried to it.

"Maybe this will tell us where Jasmine is!" Aladdin exclaimed as Pichi picked up the book and flipped through the pages.

Looking through his portal, Matsu was half pleased and half displeased. He turned to Abu, "The bad news is that they're alive. The good news is that the princess is too far gone for them to save her... Unless they use the book. I'll just have to take care of that."

Abu chattered angrily.

"Oh, don't worry. I won't hurt them. I can't promise nobody else won't though," he laughed as he pulled out a windstorm ball and threw it into the portal.

"Ah, here is the chapter," Matsu ran his finger along the page to find where he left off. Then, suddenly, a small orb fell from the sky and broke on top of the book, sending glass everywhere. "It is a windstorm ball! Run for cover!"

Before there was much time to react, a thin twister rose from the book, tearing it to shreds. Aladdin grabbed Pichi and ran with him as the twister grew and the sky became ominously dark.

"But the book!" Pichi called out through the deafening wind.

"We can't find Jasmine if we're dead," Aladdin called as the wind became so strong that it was a struggle to even move.

"Lachti Gijtu!" Pichi called out.

The twister disintegrated, and the sky returned to normality.

"That magic of yours really is going to come in handy," Aladdin gently let Pichi down to the ground.

"I do what I can," Pichi answered, dusting himself off.

"The book!" Aladdin stood, overwhelmed, as he saw that shreds of paper were scattered across the endless field.

"Oh my," Pichi whimpered. "That could be a problem."

"Is there anything you can do?"

"I can put it back together, but only page by page."

"It's better than nothing, but I don't want to waste time. Jasmine could be in trouble."

"Perhaps we should go to that city. It would be a start at least," Pichi raised pulled out and held up a pouch from his belt. He called out some magic words, and all of the paper shreds rose and flew into the pouch.

"And we might find a place there where you can work on that."

Pichi nodded, "Then to the city we go!"

------

Genie gasped, "Al! Jas!"

Iago flew over to Genie and saw the empty floor where their friends had previously been, "Did the kid just vanish?"

"I dunno, but something mighty fishy is going on here," Genie turned into a fisherman, "and there be only one way to catch a fish. Ya use BAIT!"

"Ohhh no!" Iago back up defensively. "I've been bait one too many times."

"Pichi!" Attalisa squeaked as she ran over and felt the felt with her fingers. She looked up at Genie, sprinkling magic dust from the floor between her fingers. "They're gone! By magic! They could be anywhere!"

"Any ideas?"

"Lady Damali would know what to do! If only I knew where she was."

"We can find her!" Genie exclaimed heroically. "I know this place like the back of my… Well, actually, I, um… I don't know this place very much."

"We should look first in the banquet hall. Where she disappeared."

"A new case!" Genie puffed into a detective with a pipe. "I'll be on this case like a cheap suit, little lady. Don't you worry. We private eyes'll find yer man. Er… Woman."

"Thank you, Genie friend. The banquet hall is this way," Attalisa started off.

"No thanks!" Iago called out. "I'd rather stay in the quiet, innocent library."

"Okay, suit yourself!" Genie called back. "We'll just keep the trays full of royal foods to ourselves."

"On second thought, wait up," Iago flew over to them.

Genie smirked.


End file.
